This is the second time in a year the bank has been targeted. In November last year, armed robbers targeted a vehicle delivering cash to Santander bank, Clitheroe.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: "We were called at around 11pm last night to reports of an armed robbery at the Santander bank, Castle Street, Clitheroe.

"It is believed two men, armed with a baseball bat and a chainsaw, have entered the bank as security staff have been delivering cash. They have made threats before making off with cassettes containing cash. Fortunately nobody was injured.

"No arrests have been made as yet and our enquiries are now ongoing to establish exactly what occurred.

"We would ask anybody with information about the incident to contact us on 101, quoting log number 1586 of October 5th.